Niti Shataka · Niti Sataka

Niti Shataka 88 meaning

neta yasya brihaspatih praharanam vajram surah sainikah svargo durgam anugrahah kila harer airavato varanah ity-aishvaryabal-anvitopi balabhid bhagnah paraih sangare tad vyaktam nanu daivam eva sharanam dhig dhig vritha paurusham

नेता यस्य बृहस्पतिः प्रहरणं वज्रं सुराः सैनिकाः स्वर्गो दुर्गमनुग्रहः किल हरेरैरावतो वारणः । इत्यैश्वर्यबलान्वितोऽपि बलभिद्भग्नः परैः सङ्गरे तद्व्यक्तं ननु दैवमेव शरणं धिग्धिग्वृथा पौरुषम् ॥

His guide was Brihaspati, his weapon the thunderbolt, the gods his soldiers, heaven his fort, Vishnu's favour his support, Airavata his elephant. Yet even Indra, with all this power, was beaten by enemies in battle. Clearly fate is the only refuge; human effort alone is in vain!

What it means

Even the best-prepared can lose. This verse is a lament, not a reason to quit: plan well, but stay humble, because outcomes are never fully in our hands. Don't let defeat shatter you.

हिंदी में अर्थ

जिसके मंत्री बृहस्पति, शस्त्र वज्र, सैनिक देवता, किला स्वर्ग, सहारा विष्णु की कृपा और वाहन ऐरावत हाथी था — ऐसा ऐश्वर्य और बल वाला इंद्र भी युद्ध में शत्रुओं से हार गया। साफ़ है कि भाग्य ही शरण है, अकेला पुरुषार्थ व्यर्थ है!

सबसे अच्छी तैयारी वाला भी हार सकता है। यह विलाप है, हार मानने की सलाह नहीं: अच्छी योजना बनाइए, पर विनम्र रहिए, क्योंकि परिणाम पूरी तरह हमारे हाथ में नहीं।

Spoken by Bhartrihari.

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